Puyo Puyo Chronicle

SEGA and Atlus Japanese creators where a part of a series of interviews conducted by the Japanese website 4Gamer, in where they listed their favorite games of 2016 and what they thought 2017 held for them as creators. The SEGA and Atlus Japanese creators that were included in the interviews included:

Toshihiro Nagoshi (Yakuza series general director)

Masayoshi Yokoyama (Yakuza 6 chief producer)

Mizuki Hosoyamada (Puyo Puyo series general producer)

Shigeo Komori (First Production director at Atlus)

Kazuyuki Yamai (First Productiong director Atlus)

As a bonus, they even have Tetsuya Mizuguchi, who left SEGA over a decade ago but with the re-release of Rez Infinite it seems he can’t completely cut his ties with the company. If you didn’t know Rez Infinite is considered by many to be one of the best titles on PlayStation VR, so the game has gotten extra attention from mainstream media. Which of course is fantastic since he is a great creator. You can read what games these SEGA and Atlus Japanese creators liked in 2016 and what they hope to accomplish next year, read it all after the jump.

25 years has past by for the Puyo Puyo series (27 if counting Madou Monogatari). Originally the series was conceived as a modest puzzle game in the same vain as Dr. Mario or Tetris on the MSX and Famicom Disk System, before making it big with the arcade games Puyo Puyo and Puyo Puyo Tsu. Even after the demise of Compile at the beginning of the new millennium, SEGA would still keep up the legacy of the franchise with the occasional new game and merchandising. Enough so that Puyo Puyo is considered one of SEGA’s “core” franchises in Japan.

Now that it’s the 25th anniversary of the Puyo Puyo series, naturally a new game would be released to compliment this milestone. However the new game in the series, Puyo Puyo Chronicles, takes a slightly different approach from the norm while at the same time trying to keep things familiar for long time fans. Is it a worthy milestone celebration chronicling the series strengths, or a sign that this chronicle should end?

What a double whammy week we have on our hands, not only is the latest and last entry in the Kazuma Kiryu legend, Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, debuted but we also have the RPG spin on the Puyo Puyo franchise, Puyo Puyo Chronicle! But how did both compare in a busy Christmas period that saw over 30 different skus of mutilple games released? Read on to find out!

Puyo Puyo Chronicles has recently received a demo on November 22nd, 2016 in Japan, which can be downloaded on the Japanese eShop. This demo is a limited 5 use demo that acts as a quick gateway into the game’s RPG mode, providing the player with a few battles along with amusing banter from the characters. However, the demo doesn’t contain any multiplayer whatsoever, so it’s not possible to play any of the 17 returning multiplayer modes or the new Battle Skill mode. If that disappoints you, the full version of Puyo Puyo Chronicles will be released on December 8th, 2016 in Japan, roughly a 2 week gap as of this writing.

Credit to @Amey0619 for the photo of the demo, with a full image from this tweet.

Information regarding to Puyo Puyo Chronicles, regarding to several characters appearing and two new locations in the game’s RPG mode. The game reveals that , Feli, Witch, Risukuma, and Lemres will return, along with the previously revealed Yu & Rei, Rulue, and Raffine on the official Puyo Puyo Chronicles website last week. In addition, it goes into detail about a volcanic town called “Reddi” and a desert town named “Yellome”, along with the respective surround area. No new information has been revealed in terms of gameplay, but it does show the revealed characters like Raffine and Rulue in screenshots for the first time.

Puyo Puyo Chronicles is slated for a December 8th, 2016 release as part of the Puyo Puyo franchise’s 25th Anniversary.

SEGA establishes a new division in Taiwan called SEGA GAMES CS. The goal of the division is to push localizations in the Taiwan region in traditional Chinese. During a meeting, many titles have already been announced to be localized by the end of 2016 and the start of 2017, with some having a tentative release date sometime in 2017. Notably, it contains games that have not been announced for a western release as of this writing, for example Puyo Puyo Chronicles and Yakuza 6. This move to push for a Taiwan market with SEGA GAMES CS is likely a result of SEGA (specifically SEGA of Japan) prioritizing the Asian market, with SEGA Taiwan specifically existing since at least 2014.

Puyo Puyo Chronicles has a lot of multiplayer modes, almost up to 20 modes in fact. The game compiles up to 18 multiplayer modes that features returning modes from past games such as Puyo Puyo! 15th Anniversary, Puyo Puyo!! 20th Anniversary, and a mode from Puyo Puyo Tetris, along with the new Skill Battle mode loosely based on the game’s Quest mode. The large amount of modes means that regardless of who you are, you’re bound to find a favorite, and generally making the game flexible in terms of options.

To see all 18 videos and descriptions describing each mode, please click below.

SEGA at Tokyo Game Show 2016 reveals a new Puyo Puyo Chronicles trailer that talks about varies aspects of the game. Featuring talent Misako Uno and Chiaki Ito, it talks about its RPG elements, collecting items, battling, “Skill Battles,” gaining experience points, co-op gameplay, and other details. While it technically doesn’t reveal a lot of new information, it does reveal the returning Puyo Puyo SUN mode from Puyo Puyo 20th Anniversary that’s based on Puyo Puyo SUN and Mission Puyo that’s loosely based on the past Nazo Puyo spin-offs. It also briefly teases a mysterious dark crystal ball near the end, and (adorably) shows off Uno and Ito in the signature Puyo Puyo art style.

Puyo Puyo Chronicles will release exclusively on the Nintendo 3DS on December 8th 2016 in Japan.

SEGA is now showing of their Tokyo Game Show 2016 stage schedule. The games they are listed to be showing off at Tokyo Game Show 2016 includes Yakuza 6, Valkyria: Azure Revolution, Puyo Puyo Chronicle, and more. The schedule also includes games by WB and EA which SEGA is helping bring over.

Hit the jump and see the long list of SEGA Tokyo Game Show 2016 schedule, with set times and where to stream them.

SEGA has shown off a new extended trailer for Puyo Puyo Chronicles showing off more footage of the upcoming Nintendo 3DS Action Puzzle RPG title that is set to release before the end of the year in Japan. Let me just say that Puyo Puyo Chronicles is looking like the best game in the series and just in time for the franchise’s 25th Anniversary.

While Puyo Puyo Chronicles is set to hit Japan on December 8 of this year, SEGA West hasn’t announced plans on bringing the title over. If you wanna help sway their opinion, go on social media and use the tag #PuyoChroniclesForTheWest, also don’t be scared of letting SEGA know directly.

Fans of SEGA of Japan games should be looking forward to Tokyo Game Show 2016, sadly if you are looking for new games you will have to wait till the event starts on September 15, 2016. But SEGA has confirmed what games (plot spoiler: there aren’t many) are going to be at the event and what type of content to expect from those games. You can check out SEGA’s Tokyo Game Show 2016 website they just put up.

It is quite obvious that SEGA is putting the most effort into promoting Yakuza 6, which is the highest budget game being created by SEGA Japan, but what is weird is that they haven’t confirmed what they are doing for Hatsune Miku: VR Future Live, Sonic Mania or Sonic Project 2017. Is SEGA not going to show these titles? Not to mention the confirmed titles are all games coming out in the next few months, wonder if SEGA Japan will show off any titles for later in 2017…

Again this is just a list for now as Atlus has only shown off Persona 5 as a confirmed title. Persona 5 will get a playable demo, new trailer, studio broadcast, stage show, and merchandise. Tokyo Game Show 2016 runs from September 15 through September 18, 2016, we will have full coverage of the event. Stay tune!

SEGA has streamed about 7 minutes of Puyo Puyo Chronicle gameplay showing off its action puzzle RPG elements that has gotten me so excited to play it. The stream was part of their ‘Sega-Nama’ live streaming show hosted by Toshihiro Nagoshi. If you missed it we posted about Puyo Puyo Chronicle‘s the announcement, first trailer and even had a whole SEGA News Bits episode talking about the game.

Puyo Puyo Chronicle will be heading exclusively to the Nintendo 3DS and will release in Japan on December 8, 2016 for 5,490 yen ($54.77 USD) which is actually a bit less than a full price Nintendo 3DS game in Japan. No Western release has been announced thus far, but you never know. We did get 7th Dragon III Code VFD.

SEGA has officially released the first details, trailer and screenshots for Puyo Puyo Chronicle, a action puzzle RPG for the Nintendo 3DS. The trailer above is being dubbed the ‘game introduction trailer’ that shows off the game’s new 3D character models debuting exclusively on Puyo Puyo Chronicle.

Puyo Puyo Chronicle will set you off in a world of mysteries as you play as Allie and have Carbuncle as your companion. Expect a lot of quests, towns and dungeon explorations throughout the full game. Oh yeah, also puzzles.

To check out SEGA’s description of Puyo Puyo Chronicles and see more screenshots, hit the jump.

The latest issue of Japan’s Famitsu magazine has revealed a new installment in the Puyo Puyo franchise, due out later this year. Titled Puyo Puyo Chronicle, the game is described as a puzzle RPG timed to celebrate the franchise’s 25th anniversary. The story involves the franchise’s heroes Arle and Carbuncle entering an alternate world, in which they must work with a girl name Arie to return to their own world. Graphics will be in 3D and players will be able to explore freely – so apparently no sprites or pre-set paths. Outside of the RPG mode, the game will also feature traditional Puyo Puyo play, featuring seventeen different rules found in past games.

The game will also feature a mode called “Boss Fight With Everyone” in which players team up with a party of four via local connectivity to battle a boss. The game also promises over sixty sub-quests. In terms of packaging, a special Anniversary Box has been announced, which will contain a soundtrack, a vocal track, a drama CD and a 25th anniversary theme for your 3DS. The game is set to release in Japan on December 8th of this year. Sadly, no word of an American release, and given SEGA’s Western track record with the franchise it is unlikely. Then again, 7th Dragon III: Code: VFD happened, so never say never.